Turkey's Davutoglu says Syrian Kurdish YPG behind Ankara attack

ISTANBUL, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Turkey has identified the perpetrator of the Ankara bombing attack that killed 28 people as a member of the Syria Kurdish YPG militia working with insurgents from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Prime Minister Davutoglu said.

In a live television speech, Davutoglu said the bombing showed that the Syrian Kurdish YPG is a terrorist organization and that Turkey expects cooperation from its allies against the group.

Washington, which has said the YPG is not a terrorist group, has backed the insurgents in the fight against Islamic State in Syria.

See more photos from the explosion in Ankara:

25PHOTOS

Explosion in Ankara, Turkey

See Gallery

Turkey's Davutoglu says Syrian Kurdish YPG behind Ankara attack

Firefighters try to extinguish flames following an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels.
/ AFP / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

A burning vehicle seen after an explosion in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016, after assailants exploded a car bomb near vehicles carrying military personnel in the Turkish capital, killing several people and injuring scores of others, officials said. The explosion occurred during evening rush hour in the heart of city, in an area close to where military headquarters and the parliament are located. (AP Photo)

ANKARA, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 17: Smoke rises from a burning bus after an explosion at Merasim street on the intersection of Inonu Boulevard and Dikmen avenue in Turkey's capital Ankara on February 17, 2016. (Photo by Murat Kaynak/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Flames are seen following an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels.
/ AFP / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

Smoke rises over buildings following an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels.
/ AFP / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

Police arrive near the site of an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels.
/ AFP / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

TURKEY OUT
Emergency workers help an injured person on the ground near the site of an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least 18 people were killed and 45 wounded by a car bomb targeting the military in the heart of the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The bloodshed came on the heels of a string of attacks in Turkey, blamed on jihadists but also on Kurdish rebels. The bomb aimed at a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels. / AFP / CIHAN NEWS AGENCY / CIHAN (Photo credit should read CIHAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Firefighters try to extinguish flames following an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels.
/ AFP / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

ANKARA, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 17: Smoke rises from a burning bus after military vehicles hit by Ankara blast close to government, at Merasim street on the intersection of Inonu Boulevard and Dikmen avenue in Turkey's capital Ankara on February 17, 2016. (Photo by Haluk Yavuzhan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

ANKARA, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 17: A firefighter tries to put out a fire as Turkish army busses burn after an explosion on February 17, 2016 in Ankara, Turkey. At least five people have been killed and 10 injured in an explosion in the Turkish capital of Ankara in what appeared to have been a car bomb attack on a vehicle carrying military personnel. (Photo by Erhan Ortac/Getty Images)

An injured person receives medical treatment by rescue workers following an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels. / AFP / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

ANKARA, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 17: Smoke rises from the blast site as Turkish army busses burn after an explosion on February 17, 2016 in Ankara, Turkey. At least five people have been killed and 10 injured in an explosion in the Turkish capital of Ankara in what appeared to have been a car bomb attack on a vehicle carrying military personnel. (Photo by Erhan Ortac/Getty Images)

TURKEY OUT
Firefighters try to extinguish flames following an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels. / AFP / IHLAS NEWS AGENCY / STRINGER / Turkey OUT (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

An injured person is loaded into an ambulance car following an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels. / AFP / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

ANKARA, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 17: Smoke rises from the blast site as Turkish army busses burn after an explosion on February 17, 2016 in Ankara, Turkey. At least five people have been killed and 10 injured in an explosion in the Turkish capital of Ankara in what appeared to have been a car bomb attack on a vehicle carrying military personnel. (Photo by Erhan Ortac/Getty Images)

People react at the scene of an explosion in Ankara, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016. A large explosion, believed to have been caused by a bomb, injured several people in the Turkish capital on Wednesday, according to media reports. (IHA via AP) TURKEY OUT

Firefighters work at a scene of fire from an explosion in Ankara, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016. A large explosion, believed to have been caused by a bomb, injured several people in the Turkish capital on Wednesday, according to media reports. Private NTV said the explosion occurred during rush hour in an area close to where military headquarters are located as a bus carrying military personnel was passing by. Several cars caught fire, the report said. Ambulances were seen rushing toward the scene. The explosion caused a large fire and dark smoke could be seen billowing from a distance. (IHA via AP) TURKEY OUT

ANKARA, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 17: Turkish army service busses burn after an explosion on February 17, 2016 in Ankara, Turkey. 21 people are believed to have been killed and at least 61 are said to be wounded according to the city's governor Mehmet Kiliclar in what appeared to have been a car bomb attack on a vehicle carrying military personnel in the Turkish capital. (Photo by Defne Karadeniz/Getty Images)

ANKARA, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 17: Turkish army service busses burn after an explosion on February 17, 2016 in Ankara, Turkey. 21 people are believed to have been killed and at least 61 are said to be wounded according to the city's governor Mehmet Kiliclar in what appeared to have been a car bomb attack on a vehicle carrying military personnel in the Turkish capital. (Photo by Defne Karadeniz/Getty Images)

TURKEY OUT
Smokes rises above buildings following an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels. / AFP / IHLAS NEWS AGENCY / STRINGER / Turkey OUT (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

A man reacts next to policemen near the site of an explosion after an attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles in Ankara on February 17, 2016.
At least five people were killed and 10 people were wounded in a car bombing in the Turkish capital Ankara on February 17, the city's governor said. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels. / AFP / EROL UCEM (Photo credit should read EROL UCEM/AFP/Getty Images)

Paramedics carry wounded people from the site of an explosion into an ambulance in Ankara, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016. Assailants on Wednesday exploded a car bomb near vehicles carrying military personnel in the Turkish capital, killing at least 18 people and wounding some 45 others, officials said. (Mustafa Kirazli/Cihan News Agency via AP) TURKEY OUT

Paramedics carry a wounded man from the site of an explosion into an ambulance in Ankara, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016. Assailants on Wednesday exploded a car bomb near vehicles carrying military personnel in the Turkish capital, killing at least 18 people and wounding some 45 others, officials said. (Mustafa Kirazli/Cihan News Agency via AP) TURKEY OUT

Smoke from a fire billow is seen following an explosion as police officers secure the area in Ankara, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016. A large explosion, believed to have been caused by a bomb, injured several people in the Turkish capital on Wednesday, according to media reports. (Cihan News Agency via AP) TURKEY OUT

Up Next

See Gallery

Discover More Like This

of

SEE ALL

BACK TO SLIDE

SHOW CAPTION
+

HIDE CAPTION
–

"In light of information we have obtained, it has been clearly identified that this attack has been carried out by the members of terrorist organization inside Turkey together with a YPG member individual who has crossed from Syria," Davutoglu said.